Sketches of Naruto
by makka-na-yuki
Summary: [Series of drabbles] Lines. Shapes. Shadings. Every stroke in a vast white canvas, independent of each other, creates a world that surpasses the boundaries of any physical medium. Various pairings, what comes and goes. Let the art begin.
1. Of Foreheads and Hospitals

**Disclaimer:** Yes, I do not own Naruto. And yes, in my dreams, I'd like to pretend I do.

**Summary**: Lines. Shapes. Shadings. Every stroke in a vast white canvas, independent of each other, creates a world that surpasses the boundaries of any physical medium. A series of the random ideas a.k.a. oneshots that are just simply too short or too ugly to be considered an independent fic. May or may not become full-blown chaptered fics... depends. Harhar. Let the art begin.

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**Chapter 01 : Of Foreheads and Hospitals**  
_By makka na yuki_  
211 words

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"Sakura-chan!"

The said pink-haired girl sighed before turning to wave at the approaching energetic blond. _Too energetic_, Sakura thought, _doesn't he know how to rest with all those bandages around his body?_ The kunoichi knew she should be a little more grateful to her teammate, considering he just risked his life in trying – _and failing_, she solemnly thought – to bring their comrade back to Konoha.

_Sasuke_, Sakura whispered. His betrayal… - _no_, not a traitor - _leaving_ the Hidden Village definitely created a gaping hole in the hearts of the other members of Team Seven. Even their sensei looked older than usual. _Where are you…?_

"Sakura-chan" Naruto called again, disrupting the thoughts of his friend "I've developed a new jutsu!"

"Eh?" Sakura sweatdropped. Hadn't he just gotten off the hospital?

"You see" the blond began "I know you've been feeling a little bit down cause .. _you know_.. that baka doing something stupid and all. So I'm here to solve one of you problems!"

Sakura's eyes widened. "Naruto.. you mean you improved the Raseng-"

"I call it the Uzumaki Naruto Forehead Shrinking jutsu!"

The pink-haired ninja's eye twitched.

This Uzumaki Naruto, Sakura decided as she put on her battle gloves, needs to spend a little bit more time in the hospital.


	2. Of Dreams and Goodbyes

**Disclaimer:** Yes, I do not own Naruto. And yes, in my dreams, I'd like to pretend I do.

**Summary**: Series of drabbles Lines. Shapes. Shadings. Every stroke in a vast white canvas, independent of each other, creates a world that surpasses the boundaries of any physical medium. Various pairings, what comes and goes. Let the art begin.

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**Chapter 02 : Of Dreams and Goodbyes**  
_By makka na yuki_  
135 words

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Sometimes she likes to pretend that everything ends the same way as it did in her dreams.

"_Take me with you! I'll… I'll do anything, just _please_…don't leave me"_

For a moment, she dreads what his reply would be – maybe the usual biting remark, one that had always managed to add another crack to her heart.

And then…

_And then_, she can almost imagine as she closes her eyes, he would turn his back to look at her eyes… and smile. Not a smirk, or an evil grin, but a real honest-to-goodness _smile_.

But then this is where she realizes that this is _not real_.

Otherwise, Haruno Sakura thought, at the end of the day, she would not be lying here in this cold stone bench.

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	3. Of Sands and Kisses

**Disclaimer:** Yes, I do not own Naruto. And yes, in my dreams, I'd like to pretend I do.

**Summary**: Series of drabbles Lines. Shapes. Shadings. Every stroke in a vast white canvas, independent of each other, creates a world that surpasses the boundaries of any physical medium. Various pairings, what comes and goes. Let the art begin.

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**Chapter 03 : Of Sands and Kisses**  
_By makka na yuki_  
344 words

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He slinked back into the shadows, leaning against cold stone walls, face betraying no emotion as he closes his eyes. It's not the most comfortable position to rest, this he knew, but the future Kazekage of the Hidden Village of Sand can't appear as anything but menacing.

_Besides_, Gaara thought, _I don't want to catch anymore attention to myself_.

Sensing a familiar presence in front of him, the sand ninja opens his eyes.

"Ne, Gaara?" Sakura starts as she stares a little bit closer to the red-haired boy. Considering the slight twitch in the said-boy's face – though she must have imagined it - as a sign of response, the oblivious Leaf ninja continued on.

"We were wondering…"

_We?_ Gaara silently questioned. _Naruto, perhaps?_

"… well, remember your battle with Lee-kun during the Chuunin exams. You had this invisible armor of sand covering your whole body right?"

No response.

"So yeah, we were wondering, if someone were to kiss you right now, would that person touch lip or sand?"

Silence.

Gaara almost choked at the implications. _ That doesn't sound like Naruto, no matter how much of an idiot he is. _He grimly thought... though a slight smirk forcing in his face._ No matter_.

The female ninja fidgeted at the stare she was receiving. Being forced to do a dare – _that damn Ino!!_, Inner Sakura growled – the pink-haired kunoichi wasn't really expecting a reply. Though if she did, it wasn't this.

Her eyes widened in surprise as she was pulled into the shadows, with the sand-ninja's lips crushing her own.

_Hmm.. definitely lip_, Sakura's mind registered as she closes her eyes to lean in more.

But it ended just as fast as it started.

"Does that answer your question little girl?" Gaara asked calmly.

_Damn him! He's not even fazed at all…_ Sakura thought, but then grinned. "Hai! I have to tell the other girls!"

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One thing Gaara was sure as he watched the pink-haired girl walked away with a slight bounce in her step…

… in this existence, he definitely would never understand girls.

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**Author's Notes:** My first take of GaaSaku pairing. Slight OOC, but still such a wonderful couple

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	4. Of Smiles and Deaths

**Disclaimer:** Yes, I do not own Naruto. And yes, in my dreams, I'd like to pretend I do.

**Summary**: Series of drabbles Lines. Shapes. Shadings. Every stroke in a vast white canvas, independent of each other, creates a world that surpasses the boundaries of any physical medium. Various pairings, what comes and goes. Let the art begin.

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**Chapter 04 : Of Smiles and Deaths**  
_By makka na yuki_  
229 words

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"Tell me, Gaara" Sakura barely whispered as she covered another comrade's face with white cloth "How long did it take for you to get used to staring at death in the face?"

The sand ninja understood the hidden meaning behind her words. _How many died in your hands? _He almost flinched as the memories came rushing back - his playmates' terrified faces, his father's scornful gaze, the villagers' fearful eyes, the assassins who visited him every night. _Yashamaru..._

He grew up surpassing everyone's expectations and still ended up as too much of a disappointment.

_Ironic_.

It if had been up to him, he wouldn't have given her a direct answer. He would've walked out the small hospital, leaving the question hanging as it is.

But the way she looked at him, a knowing look that expected no answer… eyes bright pools of emerald. _Maybe, just maybe,_ he thought, swirled emotions silently reaching out…

"Not long. The stench of blood is... _overwhelming_..." he finished hesitantly. He was not one for words.

She nodded at him, and gave him a smile... a sad small smile that says she understands… understood the way he had to turn himself into the beast that he is to stop the insanity... the voice constantly growling in his head… the urge to _kill_...

"You're not a monster, Gaara"

And that's all he ever needed to stay.

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**Author's Notes:** Hummm.. planned to make it _really_ longer, but got lazy cause of the noise and fireworks and all. Happy happy happy coming of 2007 to everybody. Hohoho.

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	5. Of Dreams and Goodbyes II

Disclaimer: Yes, I do not own Naruto

**Disclaimer:** Yes, I do not own Naruto. And yes, in my dreams, I'd like to pretend I do.

**Summary**: Series of drabbles Lines. Shapes. Shadings. Every stroke in a vast white canvas, independent of each other, creates a world that surpasses the boundaries of any physical medium. Various pairings, what comes and goes. Let the art begin.

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**Chapter 05 : Of Dreams and Goodbyes II**

_By makka na yuki_

272 words

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When he left, the villagers all pitied her. They knew of her undying affection for the missing nin, and they could only imagine how she felt when she woke up alone on that bench the following morning.

_Yeah right_, Sakura thought, as she gets up from her desk after finally finishing a day's worth of work.

The higher-ups have already interrogated her, squeezing every last detail they could get from their last encounter.

_Yes, she is almost a hundred percent sure that the evil snake is behind this._

She passes by the deserted Uchiha mansion, trying to figure out any excuse she could give of being so far away from the road to her home.

_No, he didn't tell her any clues that might inform them where exactly he is headed._

She touches the old stone walls, fingering the dagger mark on the once-famous fan symbol.

_Yes, she tried her best – giving up her pride and tears – to make him stay._

As the sun sets, she finds her way towards the village end, the large Konoha gates almost taunting her.

_And…No, he planned to say goodbye to anyone._

Her eyes shift towards a familiar stone bench. She lies in it, and she could almost imagine that it was never cold – that the betrayal she felt never really happened.

_No, she wasn't surprised that he left. She knew him, more than he could ever imagine, and the many times she told him she loved him were not lies._

She loved him so much, and he never asked why

And she knew right then and there that she never had a chance at all.

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**Author's Notes:** A continuation of sorts to the second chapter.

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